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Topical News
National Air Traffic Services Consultation Period Extended
The
consultation period on proposed air space changes across the South-East,
including the Dedham Vale Area
of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has been extended from 22nd May to
19th June.
For
previous details on the the National
Air Traffic Services (NATS) consultation
and
links to further information please scroll down or click
here.
Managing a Masterpiece bid success
The Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Stour Valley Project have been awarded a grant of £925,000 for their Managing a Masterpiece bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund's (HLF) Landscape Partnership Scheme, and a further £67,000 development funding grant. Fifteen projects covering archaeology, biodiversity and conservation of historic features in the Stour Valley are included in the bid, and three new members of staff will be appointed.
"This is the first Landscape Partnership award in the East of England, and will be of enormous benefit to those who live and work in the Stour Valley ," said Simon Amstutz, Operations Manager for the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project. "We are thrilled that our partners are putting in a further £100,000, which together with in-kind contributions from volunteers, brings the funding to £1.1m."
The Stour Valley has long inspired artists and writers. Managing a Masterpiece consists of three programmes to understand, conserve and celebrate the landscape. These will focus on clusters of heritage hotspots around Clare, Sudbury, Bures, Stoke by Nayland and Dedham.
"The projects include the return of the Constable Country hopper 'bus which was so successfully piloted in 2005, restoring views made famous by artists, and using churches as viewpoints and information centres. We will also be publishing guides for walking and cycling, facilitating archaeological excavations, and helping the restoration of the John Constable lighter to the dry dock at Flatford."
Robyn Llewellyn, Head of HLF East of England, said "The English countryside is famed around the world and the Stour Valley represents one of our finest examples; inspiring not only local people and visitors, but celebrated artists such as Gainsborough and Constable. Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund's support, local communities and groups will be able to work together on a wide range of activities helping to sustain the unique distinctiveness of our natural heritage. Through partnership and collaboration, our funding will have a long-lasting impact on this remarkable and beautiful historic landscape."
The bid was developed by the Project in partnership with the archaeological departments at Essex and Suffolk County Councils, and is overseen by a board of twenty organisations representing a range of interests in the Stour Valley . Implementation will be over three years, from November 2009.
For more information please contact Simon Amstutz, Operations Manager, Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project on 01473 264263.
Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Stour Valley Project, 14th April 2008
Power Cables Going Underground
The beautiful meadows between Dedham and Flatford
Mill have only the occasional farm vehicle to disturb the tranquility
of the area but as reported a programme of tree-felling is temporarily
being witnessed by the many hundreds of walkers who daily enjoy
the area. Whilst this is progressing at the Flatford end of the
river, ramblers and dog walkers at the Dedham end are also witnessing
the unusual sight of intense activity. John Osborn, 14th April 2008 |
 A notice has been posted by the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project, which can be viewed by clicking here (pdf 155Kb) |
Flatford Mill Tree Felling Progamme
Spring-time visitors to Flatford Mill this year will soon become aware of a programme of tree felling along the meadow on the west side of the River Stour. One immediate effect of this is to open up views from Flatford which have been hidden for years. Whilst the poplar trees may appear relatively healthy to the casual observer the clear message from the various bodies that have come together to pursue this programme is that the trees are non-native hybrids planted for commercial purposes and are in any case, diseased. Additionally the timber will be used by residents of Old Hall for their wood-burning boiler. What is being achieved by their removal is a landscape that much more closely resembles that of the period 250-years ago when John Constable lived nearby and produced some of his best-known work.
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The Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project manage the programme with help from The Sustainable Development Fund, The National Trust and Babergh District Council. An explanatory notice has been posted in a prominent position close to the bridge, which can be veiwed by clickig here (pdf 110Kb). John Osborn, 12th April 2008 |
Langham Park and Ride Scheme
The following brief, but no doubt welcome, item about the proposal to site a Park and Ride location in Langham was announced by DVS Committee Member Roger Drury on 9th April 2008 At the Joint Member Area Highway Panel on 27 March, Geoff Harris, ECC Highways Authority, reported that " ECC had considered the recent developer application, which included Park & Ride at Langham. The ECC's view was that this would not be appropriate and would stick with its original strategy for the Cuckoo Farm Site." Roger Drury 9th April 2008 |
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The
A12 was named as Britain’s worst road in a survey by Cornhill
Insurance in 2007
The
following press/media release from Scott Wilson MM Communications Officer
(01245
434383 or email scott.wilson@essexcc.gov.uk) was issued on 07 April 2008.
A12 INQUIRY LAUNCH |
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National Air Traffic Services Consultation Document and the Dedham Vale
The three month period from mid February until 22 May 2008 will be used for consultation on proposed air space changes across the South-East. This follows the publication of a new document from the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) who are concerned to move flight paths away from populated areas and reduce the environmental impact of the rapid increase in passenger flights. The proposals are wide-ranging and include a lengthy section of the Dedham Vale as well as many other parts of the south east. Dedham Vale Society members will, no doubt, remember the High Court action taken by Tom Hill with the backing of the DVS In December 2005. The five day action against the CAA and NATS resulted in a complete vindication of the case as presented by Tom Hill's legal team of the need to establish that the special protection accorded by Parliament to AONBs should not be overridden by accident through an airspace change which failed to predict its impacts accurately. |
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The enlightened decision by the DVS Committee to fully support this action and to contribute towards Tom Hill's costs was fully vindicated by the Judges decision at the time. The Committee, DVS members and those that enjoy the Dedham Vale will have reason to be pleased to see that the proposals in the NATS consultation document take full account of that judgement. Lee Boulton, Airspace Planning Manager for NATS, is quoted as saying "following CAA guidance flight paths have been moved further north which means arrivals to Stansted Airport will be pushed from the Dedham Vale across the Stour and Orwell estuaries towards Ipswich. As a result we are expecting less flights over the Dedham Vale". In a reference to the legal action and judgement he stated "As part of the judicial review with the CAA we are taking into account the decision and are abiding by that agreement"
Quoted in the Essex County Standard on 22 February 2008 DVS Chairman Wilf Tolhurst commented that the DVS will be happy if the result of the consultation is the same as the proposal.
Following the closing of the consultation period on 22 May 2008 the findings will be passed to the Civil Aviation Authority and a decision on whether they can be adopted will be made.
A website for the consultation has been set up at www.consultation.nats.co.uk where you can find detailed information. We include here two documents available from this NATS website:
- NATS
and Airspace Development (pdf
55Kb)
Introduction, The Purpose of Consultation, The Scope of Consultation, The Development of the Proposal, What Happens Next - Cambridgeshire,
Suffolk and NE Essex area (pdf 5.6Mb)
This document covers specific data relating to the Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and North East Essex consultational area
John Osborn, 4th March 2008
Underground Power Cables
Dedham
Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project have confirmed that the article
in the local press and available to view here is indeed based
on fact! 'Work
starts to take down power lines' Essex
County Standard 22 February 2008 (pdf 151Kb) Langham to Boxted Mill work will start March 08 and Dedham to East Bergholt in Aug 08. Scheme costs are £547,690 for Langham and £269,100 for Dedham scheme. The money comes from Ofgem. The national allowance of c. £60m for undergrounding overhead lines is derived from Ofgem's cost assessment of undergrounding 1.5% of the overhead network within the AONBs and National Parks. John Osborn, 28th February 2008 |
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Village Design Statement for Dedham
An article in the Colchester Borough Council's newsletter,
Common Ground, produced for parish and town councils congratulates Dedham
Parish Council for being the first parish within the Colchester area
to complete its Village Design Statement (VDS). Their Portfolio Holder
for Planning and Regeneration, Brian Jarvis, has adopted it as a Guidance
Note which means it will be used as a planning and funding tool for other
parishes in the future.
The person who co-ordinated the impressive 60-page document, did much
of the work on it and was more than any other responsible for its success,
was DVS member Judith Fowle, who until a year or so ago wrote on Essex
Matters for the DVS newsletter.
John Osborn, 3rd January 2008
Archive
Items of Topical Interest
The Nayland Meadow Project (pdf 190Kb)
Nayland with Wissington Conservation Society’s Project for
an area of water meadow within the Dedham Vale AONB to be reinstated
and enhanced. July 2006
Household Waste - The Recycling Route (pdf 374Kb)
Membership Secretary John Osborn looks at how our local authorities are
dealing with domestic waste. 2004